


sugar coated white lies

by aroundu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Bedtime Stories, Childhood, Fables - Freeform, Gen, Light Angst, The Princess and the Pea Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26590402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroundu/pseuds/aroundu
Summary: Oniichan.. Make sure you put yourself in here too… maybe the prince has-That’s a big yawn.Sleepy…We can finish tomorrow.No, finish now. And let me finish talking. Maybe the prince has a big brother…...Okay.
Relationships: Sakuma Rei & Sakuma Ritsu
Kudos: 24





	sugar coated white lies

**Author's Note:**

> Im posting this as im falling asleep and ill fix mistakes in the morning but happy birthday ritsu i love you!!!!

_ Settle down, settle down. I know it’s easier to have this energy during the night, but let’s try to get a few hours of rest before your first day of school tomorrow. You want to be able to stay awake and make some friends, don’t you? _

__ _ I don’t need new friends! I got you, and I got Maa-kun. Why do I gotta worry about other people? _

__ _ Well, what if Isara-kun or I were to be busy? Wouldn’t you be able to play with more people? My dear Ritsu is so greedy for love. I’m surprised you don’t want more friends. _

__ _ My friends from last year stopped hangin’ out with me cause I was always so tired… _

__ _ I’d forgotten- Ah, then let’s not dread on it anymore. Here we go, settle into bed. You have all your blankets with you so you won’t be cold. I even left my weighted one that you love so much, but I would like it returned tomorrow. I simply want you to have the best rest you can before the morning. It’s a big day. _

__ _ Don’t care ‘bout it… And I’m not tired. Putting me under all these blankets won’t do a thing! _

__ _ Ritsu~ If you don’t sleep now, then you’ll be far too tired to make introductions tomorrow. _

__ _ I don’t care! _

__ _ Mother and Father will care. So please, rest. _

__ _ They don’t care ‘bout anythin’ that isn’t you. _

__ _ Well that’s simply not true. Haven’t they shown interest in your piano skills lately? _

__ _ Only to say it isn’t as good as yours. They’re right, but I figured since you started doin’ more jazz then you’d be rusty and I wouldn’t be judged as bad. Ugh… But I don’t wanna quit. I’m gonna get good enough to play by your side. I wanna do a duet on stage together. Would you like that, Onii-chan? _

__ _ Yes, I would. And that will happen one day, I’m sure. _

__ _ … _

__ _ … _

__ _ Okay… I’ll go to bed. But on one condition! _

__ _ Whatever are your terms, Ritsu? _

__ _ Gotta read me a bedtime story! But-but! Do the thing where you, y’know-! _

__ _ Ah, my dear brother wants to be placed inside a fairytale, does he? If it’s the only thing to get him to sleep, then I suppose I have no choice but to comply. Do you have any requests? _

__ _ Mmm. No. _

__ _ Hm~ Hm~ Hmmm~ Okay, I’ve got it. Kukuku~  _

Once upon a time, there was a little village across the hills and past the fork in the rivers, resting on a fertile piece of land between them. It attracted merchants from all across the lands, and after countless moons of favored harvests, the village grew to become a mighty kingdom.

Peace and prosperity spread across the land, and all in this kingdom knew happiness like the sun shining on their faces.

But what is a kingdom without royalty?

Yes, this kingdom had a wonderful noble family. All so blessedly king to their subjects, hearing out every request, and taking action to entertain their pax romana. If a local farmer felt the taxes were too high, then all he had to do was come to court and schedule-

_ Onii-chan! I don’t care about taxes! And I don’t even know what pack roaming-of is. _

__ _ Sorry, sorry. I read about Roman legislative history the other day and my interest has remained inclined towards it. _

__ _ Whatever. When am I gonna be added in? _

__ _ Patience, Ritsu. _

__

The royal family was loved throughout the land, and loved most of all was the youngest child. Known for his adorable bowl cut, and curious red eyes, he was treated like everyone’s dearest child. 

Even cuter was how adorably spoiled the prince was. So, so incredibly picky about his bed, that he couldn’t sleep if even a single feather was out of place in the pillow. This fact was well known throughout the kingdom, and the villagers enjoyed gifting bedtime items to the prince, in an attempt to gain favor in court if their gifts were valued.

There were some in the kingdom that didn’t want to go with such a route to obtain power, and preferred more violent approaches. Ex-farmers who became bandits grew jealous of those who were receiving benefits for doing nothing more than gaining the favor of a simple child, so they travelled to the end of the river into a dark, foggy bog where an evil witch lived. They told the witch about their situation, and with the payment of rare herbs grown on their land, she agreed to aid them in remedying the situation.

On a stormy night, she snuck through the shadows of the royal family’s castle, and stole the sweet young prince. She planned to take him back to the swamp and cook him in a delicious stew-

_ Yuck! I don’t like that ending. C’mon, c’mon! I want a happier one. _

__ _ Ritsu~ You’ve not let me finish the story. Who are you to know that she is successful in her escape? _

__ _ Cause you got that droop in your brows that says you’re all sleepy… And you’ve been holdin’ back yawns too. But pleaseee~? A better ending? I promise I’ll go to sleep then. _

__ _ I’m not a smidgen tired. Of course I’ll provide you with the happy ending you desire, but you better uphold your promise. _

__ _ Mhm~ _

However, the storm fought against her as she was making her escape! Wind lashed her skin, lightning blocked her path, and thunder rumbled the ground she stood on. She had no choice but to remain within the city walls, but she knew doing so would eventually lead in her capture, so she brewed up a plan.

Using her magic, she transformed herself into a mirror image of the young prince. From his messy hair to his too-pale skin, she became a perfect copy of him. When the guards finally caught up to the both of them, they were shocked to find two young princes waiting.

“It’s that one! That’s the imposter!

“No way! I’m the real prince! Help me!”

The two princes argued until the other members of the royal family arrived. They saw the situation as hopeless, until the mother-

_ Oniichan.. Make sure you put yourself in here too… maybe the prince has- _

__ _ That’s a big yawn. _

__ _ Sleepy… _

__ _ We can finish tomorrow. _

__ _ No, finish now. And let me finish talking. Maybe the prince has a big brother… _

__ _...Okay. _

__ Until the big brother said that he had a test that could find out who the true prince was. He looked to the soldiers and requested two beds to be made with 20 mattresses each. Before making them though, the brother pulled aside the head guard and told him to place a single pea under both beds. While confused, the guard did as was said, and when both beds were made, the two little princes each climbed into their own.

The witch, knowing of the young prince’s sleepy reputation, pretended to fall asleep instantly. Meanwhile, the true prince tossed and turned in his bed for ages, until he finally gave up on sleeping and shouted down to the guards and royal family that something was wrong with his bed.

“He’s the real prince!” The brother exclaimed. He explained his plot, and how only the real prince would be able to feel the insignificant difference of sleeping on a pea through 20 mattresses. 

The guards made quick work of locking up the witch, who begged them to let her go, claiming that she was put up to it by the bandits. A group of guards went and caught them, and tossed them into jail right along with the witch.

Reunited with his family again, the little prince had only one request: to go and sleep on his comfy bed.

_ The end. How was that, Ritsu? _

__ _ … _

__ _ Oh, you’ve fallen asleep. That’s good- I’m glad. You need this energy. I wish it could be easier for you; living like this is such a burden, but it’s all the more of a curse to have it as severe as you do. _

__ _ … _

__ _ There’s nothing wrong with you of course, and I wish you could understand that. But you’re getting older, and you can tell when I’m lying these days. _

__ _ … _

__ _ I just want to protect you, so let me do that. _

__ _ …. _

__ _ Goodnight, Ritsu. I’ll just tuck you in on more time then be off…  _

__ _ … _

__ _ Have sweet dreams, little prince. _

**Author's Note:**

> here's my [twitter](https://twitter.com/AOlHlNATA)


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